Hey everyone! I'm looking to upgrade my system a bit and need some advice. Currently, I'm using an AM4 socket and want to stick with it for a while, especially because of the RAM prices lately. Here are my specs:
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- 32GB DDR4 RAM (not sure about the exact specs since I got them in a rush when my old RAM died)
- NVIDIA RTX 3070
I have a B550 motherboard, which wasn't super high-end when I built it, costing around €100. My main games are CS2, heavily modded Skyrim with around 3,500 mods, GTA V, Planet Coaster 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Star Citizen.
I'm mostly looking for better performance specifically in Planet Coaster 2 (big parks tend to lag, probably due to CPU limitations), Cyberpunk (since I love great graphics and want to utilize ray tracing), and Star Citizen (which is lagging quite a bit for me). I'm considering upgrading both CPU and GPU but I'm confused about which to focus on first. For CPUs, I'm looking at the 5700X 3D or 5950X, and for GPUs, possibly the 4080 or the 5070 series, depending on the best deals. What do you all suggest? Should I prioritize a CPU upgrade or a GPU upgrade first?
5 Answers
Honestly, your Ryzen 5 5600X is still pretty solid. Upgrading within the 5000 series might not show enough performance gains unless you grab an X3D version at a good price. Your main bottleneck is likely your 3070; it's a decent card but not top-tier anymore. I’d suggest checking out options like the RX 7900 XT or the 5070Ti for a meaningful Boost.
You might want to check your RAM specifications using the ZenTimings app. Ryzen 5000 chips can be picky about RAM speeds—running at lower speeds like 2133 MHz can hurt performance. You might not want to upgrade RAM just yet, but ensure you're using XMP/EXPO settings for better performance.
The 5070 is a great choice if you want an Nvidia upgrade, especially for gaming at 1440p. The 5070Ti is nice but not a huge leap unless you plan on going for 4K. Don’t sweat too much about the VRAM; 12GB should last you for quite a while.
Avoid the 5950X if you’re budget-conscious; the 5700X or 5800X would serve you well without breaking the bank. Those offer solid performance without the premium price. And as for the GPU, I recommend looking at either the 9070 or 5070Ti for a significant performance upgrade.
If you come across a good deal on a used 5700X3D, go for it! That would definitely enhance your experience, particularly for games like Star Citizen. Buying a 5070 or 5070Ti after should give you a great boost for your system overall. You might see some amazing improvements in performance with those upgrades!
Totally agree on the GPU front. If you’re feeling any performance limits, you should definitely look to upgrade your GPU first before RAM prices surge even higher. The 5600X should handle most of the newer GPUs just fine.